After Prom Night
by Vampire00Diaries
Summary: While Stefan struggles to settle his feelings for Katherine, the prom is approaching. When Katherine shows up, Elena's wonderful night turns into heartbreak, and Damon decides to make Elena feel better by taking her on a trip... rated T for kissing
1. Chapter 1

"Elena Gilbert, would you like to dance?" Stefan asked his girlfriend, his eyes shining. Elena smiled back to be kind, because she knew that he was trying. They stood on the dance floor, staring at each other. Elena's bright red dress looked beautiful, sparkling every time the light hit it. Stefan wore a black tux. It was his first high school prom.

"Of course," She said, accepting Stefan's outstretched hand and giving him a big hug. As she pulled away, she looked at him with skeptical eyes. "Look, you don't have to do this. I know things are tough right now."

Stefan knew what Elena was talking about. She didn't have to explain. It had been three weeks since Katherine Pierce, his first love, had arrived in Mystic Falls. Both Stefan and his brother, Damon, had loved Katherine in 1864 until she had been taken away by the ruthless citizens of the town. While Damon thought Katherine was trapped in a tomb for over a century, Stefan thought she was dead. Katherine had actually escaped and didn't even bother to find them, although they had given up their mortality for her.

Since Katherine had arrived, Stefan still had feelings for her, while Damon had realized that his chemistry with her no longer existed. But now, Katherine was playing with Stefan's mind. A few days ago, Katherine had told both brothers that she had always loved Stefan more, and Stefan didn't know why, but his heart skipped a beat as he heard that, and he became scared of himself for Elena's sake. He didn't want Katherine; He wanted Elena, but the two vampires had a blood bond.

Katherine's blood burned through Stefan and Damon's veins for 145 years. Of course he had a gravitational pull towards her. She was the only vampire on the planet who could attract him without using compulsion. Unlike Damon, who was now over Katherine due to his strength, Stefan didn't drink human blood. That caused him to have a strong reaction to her.

Stefan knew that Elena sensed his insecurities, and when he tried to tell her about his feelings, it came out jumbled, and sent her the wrong message. He had broken her heart, and ever since Katherine arrived, Elena felt uncomfortable with him and could not be herself. That killed him inside. He knew that he would never leave Elena. He just had to convince himself every moment that it was Katherine's blood reacting to his that caused him to be so unsure.

It was so hard to explain this to Elena. He was afraid that if she learned about the "imprint" she would leave him, thinking she couldn't compete with that. But Elena _could _compete with it, because they had the strongest, purest connection: love. He didn't know how to tell her any of this, and it was tearing them apart.

"Stefan?" Elena asked, a bit annoyed, tearing him away from his stray thoughts.

"Oh, Sorry."

"It's okay. I know you have a lot going through your mind right now." Elena looked upset. She was losing hope in him. He couldn't stand this any longer. He couldn't stand one more moment without holding her, without showing her how much he truly did love her. Tonight was _her _night, her turn to be his and only his, the way it was supposed to be.

"Elena, look at me." Stefan grabbed her hands, and gently pulled her into his arms so that his lips were right at the portal of her ear. "Listen to me: Katherine is nothing. I only want you going through my mind. You're all I want to think about. You're the only person I want to dream about when I close my eyes. Tell me you believe that." His voice was gentle and seductive.

"Oh, Stefan," Elena managed to get out, her breath coming short from her sudden pleasure, as she wrapped her hands around the masculine ones holding her so fiercely.

"Tell me."

"I believe it." And then Stefan spun himself around, so that he was facing her, his hands caressing her forearms. Before either of them could get out another breath, Stefan let his lips meet Elena's. He ran his fingers through her hair, as she held the back of his neck. Everything was so _wrong _between them, and this was the smallest thing that they could do to make it right. Love surged through their fingertips. As their kisses grew longer and more passionate, someone behind them cleared their throat.

Katherine. On Elena's night!

"I'm sorry to… interrupt," she said bitterly. At that point, Elena backed away from Stefan. She glared at Katherine. It was like looking through a mirror, except the reflection was twisted and evil. "I know how fun it is to kiss Stefan," Katherine chuckled. Stefan smiled, trapped in her trance. Elena rolled her eyes, hurt.

"Katherine, you need to leave," Elena said angrily.

"Yes, you should," Katherine said, trying to sound cute. Stefan looked at Elena solemnly.

"Elena, wait," Stefan whispered, until he was cut off by Katherine's touch. Elena didn't feel any pity for him. She kept walking, shaking her head sadly. She was losing Stefan. As she turned around, the two vampires were gone.

She was furious. Stefan had ditched her, at the prom! She didn't understand what was happening with him. She had decided that he didn't want her, and a tear streamed down her cheek. Elena didn't even have a way to get home. She didn't know who to talk to. Bonnie was still dancing. So, she decided to call the one person who knew almost everything about her: Damon.

"Hello, you've reached Damon. Please leave a message at the_"

"Oh, shut up. I know you're there," Elena smiled as she sat on the bench. If she had called Damon a month ago, it would have been awkward for her, but Damon was her best friend, in a way. He was the only person who was willing to listen to every stupid thing she wanted to talk about. He was the person that _told _her everything that Stefan wouldn't. He wanted to protect her. She was his only friend.

"How's prom?" Damon asked, laughing through the phone.

"Complicated," Elena replied simply. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything. I need you to pick me up."

"Well then I'll be right there," Damon said happily. He hung up. Elena stared at her cell phone for a moment and laughed to herself. As strange as it sounded, Damon was a good guy. But his past was with him like the jacket on his back. She wondered what Damon would be like without that coat of evil. She had seen a mature side to Damon, and those moments together were most of their best. Was that the humanity in him? Before Elena could think any more, there Damon stood, in the parking lot, with his Porsche convertible.

Damon's white t-shirt contrasted perfectly with his tanned skin. Elena smiled to see him, but he was completely zoned out, for he had not expected to see Elena looking even more extraordinary than usual.

Of course Damon was out of it. This was the sight he had walked in on: Elena dressed in a gorgeous off-the-shoulder, red dress, complimenting her every curve. It almost looked orange when she moved, and the sparkles on the one strap caught the moonlight and took his breath away. A black line went from Elena's eye to the curve of her lip; her mascara, smudged from her tears. Damon thought that the mascara line made her look even more beautiful, but anything would look dazzling on Elena. She needed comfort, and she was going to get it.

"What happened?" Damon asked her, concerned. He moved to the bench and sat beside her.

"If I told you, you'd leave."

"Why would I leave when I have a beautiful girl sitting next to me right now?" Damon replied. He was shocked by his sudden outburst, but Elena grinned at the compliment. It didn't reach her eyes, though. "Now, what's bothering you?"

"Katherine," Elena answered, her voice exploding with anger.

Damon was shocked. "Katherine was at the prom?" He was now angry too. Katherine had caused so much trouble in Mystic Falls.

"Yes."

"What happened?" Damon asked, with a furrowed brow.

"She left with Stefan, and he didn't protest." He was now furious. Stefan had always warned Damon about breaking Elena's heart, when he turned out to be the one doing it.

"Oh, wow. Elena, I'm so sorry this happened." Damon didn't know what else to say. All he could think about was how much he wanted to _hug _her, to comfort her and rid Elena of all the pain his brother had caused.

What was wrong with him? Vampires didn't want to comfort girls, they wanted to get the chance to nibble on their necks, yet here Damon was, debating with himself over how to make her feel okay.

Damon could tell that Elena felt awkward talking about her relationship issues, but he was happily surprised to see what she did next.

She fell into his arms.

She wasn't sobbing, but she needed someone to comfort her. Elena just sat there with Damon's arms around her. He held onto her for dear life. Damon felt amazed, to finally hold her, to finally _have _her.

When Elena unwrapped her arms that were folded across her chest, she wrapped them around Damon's waist, enjoying the moment while it lasted. Damon did the same in return. Elena was now sitting in his lap, embracing him.

Suddenly, Damon realized that Elena was not in his arms for comfort any longer. She was enjoying the moment just as much as he was. This had started as a need for safety, for shelter, but now it had just turned into a needfor _each other_.

No, her sudden feelings were not created to get revenge on Stefan. As Damon held Elena, she realized how special it was to be held, to be cared for by him. Finally, they had a moment to be together, and no longer could Elena deny her feelings. She was a bit shocked to realize that she had had some sort of romantic moment with her _ex-_boyfriend's brother, and stood up as soon as she gathered her thoughts.

"Damon," Elena whispered. It was all that she could say. She was in shock from their sudden chemistry.

"Elena," Damon said, equally soft. A gentle smile played with the corner of his lips. Without trying to do anything, they had walked close to each other, their faces less than an inch apart. Damon walked up to Elena and wrapped his arm around her waist. She closed her eyes in pleasure. Suddenly, Damon turned around, laughing.

"What?" Elena asked, laughing herself.

"Nothing. The moment just seems surreal."

Elena chuckled. "No need to be cheesy."

"I'm not. So, anyway, where am I taking you?"

Elena was about to tell Damon to drop her off at her house, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Stefan was still at the dance, talking with Katherine! It was as if she had never even existed. That hurt.

"As far away from this town as possible," Elena cried. Her anger towards Stefan was turning into hatred. She quickly ripped off her Vervain necklace that Stefan gave to her and threw it into the bushes.

"You're taking this lightly," Damon said sarcastically.

"Let's go," Elena told the gorgeous vampire, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress. Damon loved how fierce her voice was when she tried to calm down.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I don't want to come back any time soon."

Damon laughed again. Elena found his laugh quite attractive. "I've never seen this side of you before. I like it." His voice was a bit over the top and it made Elena smile. She got in the car and they headed for the highway.

"You should probably call Jenna," Damon told Elena. His hands were on the steering wheel, but his eyes were on her. He could still drive perfectly.

"Oh yeah, I completely forgot!" Elena said, shocked with her lack of organization. After all, she had gotten into a car for who-knows-how long with a reckless vampire and was still wearing her prom dress. She picked up her phone and dialed her aunt's number.

"Elena?" Jenna asked as she answered the phone.

"Hi Jenna."

"How's the prom?"

"Umm, it's fine… I'm going to crash at Bonnie's place tonight. We didn't see each other for most of the night, and I need the details."

"Ok," Jenna said simply. "I'll see you tomorrow after school, okay?"

"Yeah," Elena confirmed. She hung up the phone.

"Well done," Damon said to Elena, giving her a very sexy look from the corner of his eye. "I like a woman who knows how to be independent."

"I wouldn't call that being independent," Elena said, grinning. "So, where are we going?"

"Cape May!" Damon exclaimed, giving Elena a daring look.

"New Jersey?"

"Well, you did say you wanted to go far away, to get your mind off of…"

"Don't say his name!" Damon laughed at Elena's sudden explosion. He pulled into a gas station and turned, so that he was facing her.

"Feisty, I like it!" Damon said, as his eyes trailed along the outline of Elena's dress again. Elena noticed what he was doing. She grinned wildly at Damon, who looked deep into her chocolaty eyes, as if looking into them for the first time. But in a way, he _was_ looking into them for the first time. He was looking into Elena's eyes, eyes that showed no resistance, only a kind approval, almost a _loving_ approval.

"Damon!" Elena shouted, as she realized that she was getting lost in the blue depths of his eyes. "Please, don't compel me! I thought we covered this in Atlanta!"

"Sorry. I honestly didn't even know I was doing it. I wasn't prepared to get lost in _your _eyes either!" Damon said seductively. Elena laughed flirtatiously, looking at him through her long, dark lashes.

"Just don't do it again," she said quietly.

"Just don't tempt me again!" They both started laughing. Suddenly, the man working at the gas pump showed up by their car. He obviously wasn't expecting to see such a beautiful girl sitting in there. The young man seemed to be in shock, staring at Elena's beautiful facial features. Her hair was still in an up do, showing off her high cheekbones.

"Hi. My name is… uh, Josh. Umm, what will it be?" The teenager asked Elena, showing her a dazzling boyish smile. Elena showed the worker a cute grin, and Damon felt a pang of jealousy in his stomach. Josh flipped his blonde hair back, and it was obvious that he was flirting.

"As much as this gets us," Damon answered, getting Elena's attention off of the teenager. He handed – oh what's his name- a huge wad of cash. The worker took it happily, but didn't take his eyes off of Elena.

"So, where are you two headed?" he asked, as he worked with the pump.

"Cape May," Elena stated.

"I'm sure you'll have fun." Once again, his eyes were locked on Elena's.

"Yes, we will. Thank you." Damon's voice was bitter.

As soon as the worker filled up the tank, Damon drove back onto the highway. He wasn't mad at Elena for getting hit on- after all, it seemed that at the moment, it was impossible to be any more beautiful.

Elena looked at the clock. It was two in the morning! Her eyelids were becoming heavy, yet she couldn't fall asleep. The wind whipping in her face was too much. Damon noticed that. As soon as he found a rest stop, he pulled in. Elena was half asleep.

"Hey," Damon whispered to her. Elena drowsily looked around, examining the cars around them.

"What?" Elena asked, her voice slurred and tired. Damon smiled, finding it quite cute.

"Do you want to change out of that dress?"

"I have nothing to change into."

Damon smiled at her. Before Elena could question him, Damon had disappeared. About thirty seconds later, he reappeared with a Pink Floyd t-shirt and a pair of bright blue shorts.

"Here, put these on."

"Did you pay for them?"

"Somewhat." Elena was too tired to ask Damon what that meant, so she took the clothes and went into the dingy bathroom. She let her hair out and replaced the dress with the mismatched shirt and shorts. She took off her heels, so that she was comfortable, and washed her face, so the black mascara smudge was gone. Then, she grabbed her things and went back to the parking lot.

Damon thought that nothing could compare to Elena in a prom dress. He had been wrong. Only his amazing night vision could have spotted such a light in pure darkness. Elena was approaching him, wearing a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She looked so laid-back, so careless. She was barefoot, and although she was extremely tired, she still walked gracefully and there was joy in her step. There was no longer a mascara/tear smudge on her face, only a light coating of eyeliner and blue eye shadow. He gasped. He was in shock of himself. Here he was, marveling over the beauty of a human girl.

Elena jumped in the car, her eyelids drooping. "I'm tired," she stated.

"Well now you can sleep," Damon replied, chuckling. Elena closed her eyes, and Damon sat there watching her for a while, just admiring her. He could tell by her breathing that she couldn't fall asleep.

"Do you want me to _make _you fall asleep?" He asked, not sure of what her response would be.

"Yes," She sighed. "I didn't know it would be so difficult falling asleep in a car!"

"Come here," At that point, Damon grabbed Elena and pulled her over to him, so that she was sitting on his lap, her head on his shoulder. He let out a small sigh when she nestled herself happily into his arms. "Elena, are you comfortable?"

"Of course," she answered. He could tell that she was actually falling asleep this time, for her reply was quiet and distant. Damon held Elena softly, making sure that he didn't make her do anything that he would regret later. He whispered in her ear simple things, telling her to rest, using the mildest form of mind compulsion. Soon, she was heavily breathing and fast asleep, her head on Damon's chest. Soon, he was resting peacefully also.

_Idiot! _Stefan thought to himself as he reached the boarding house. He had spent hours feeding, trying to gain his strength as much as possible, by drinking from every animal in sight. He couldn't let Katherine take control over him again. He knew how much he had hurt Elena. He left her alone on the most important night of the year. And he left with Katherine. Katherine had also somehow compelled him to come back to the prom, to _Elena's _prom, an hour later. He felt terrible. He didn't care how early it was; he needed to call her. He couldn't fall asleep knowing that Elena was somewhere, thinking about how much she loathed him. He quickly picked up his iPhone and called Elena.

"Stefan?" a familiar voice picked up. It was not the gentle, feminine one Stefan was expecting. It was Damon. Why was Damon with Elena at three o' clock in the morning?

"Damon?"

"Mmm hmm?"

"Why did you pick up?"

"Because she wasn't going to," Damon laughed. "She's asleep. You _do _know it's three in the morning?"

"Yes I do, and why do you have, _my_ girlfriend's phone? Is she okay?"

"First of all, your _ex -_girlfriend wanted to leave this town ASAP, thanks to you." Damon said, laughing at Stefan's rage.

"Damon! You shouldn't do this…"

"And you shouldn't hurt her like this, yet it happened." Stefan then heard Damon hang up. He threw the phone, and punched a deep hole in the wall. Why did Katherine have to be at the prom anyway? He was _not _going to lose Elena to his heartless brother. The last time Damon went on a road trip with Elena, they grew closer. When they went to Atlanta, they had formed a friendship. What would they form now? A romance? No, he couldn't let that happen. He would call her later, and find out where they were headed. He would pick her up and take her back home, and clear up everything. If only his life were that simple...


	2. Chapter 2

Damon parked his convertible. They had finally reached their destination: Cape May. They were in the Jersey Shore. He looked over at Elena, who was still sound asleep in the passenger seat. It was only eight in the morning. He looked at her peaceful face, wondering what it would be like to steal a kiss from the sleeping Elena. He smiled to himself as he shook off that idea, and lifted Elena up, without waking her. He headed toward the bed and breakfast he had called about a half hour earlier. They were already checked in, so he brought Elena to the room, and lay her on the bed. He sat there for a moment, examining the place. He made sure to get a room with a couch, so that he had somewhere to sleep.

As he began to walk away from Elena, a soft hand grabbed at Damon's arm. He looked back at Elena, thinking he had woken her up. She was still sleeping but subconsciously had grabbed on to his leather jacket. So, he willingly brought Elena in his arms and held her. Time stretched and stopped around him as he stroked her hair, and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. He enjoyed whispering to Elena the things he felt for her, for he knew that she could not hear them.

Slowly, Elena woke up. She didn't want to open her eyes. She was far too comfortable to ruin the moment. And her eyelids were as heavy as lead. Slowly, as she grew more and more alert, she felt strong arms around her.

_Stefan? _she thought drowsily. Maybe the previous night had just been a sick dream, but as Elena's tired haze cleared, she heard Damon's voice in her ear. He was whispering _something, _but she couldn't make out the words. She then gradually opened her eyes. Sure enough, Damon was lying there, holding her. And her head was resting on his chest.

"Where are we?" Elena asked him, looking around tiredly.

"Cape May," Damon said, his face sly. Then he turned his focus to the hand still wrapped around her waist.

Elena got up, feeling a bit awkward, and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. "Wait. The room…"

"I'm taking the couch," Damon replied, nonchalantly. "Elena_"

"Yes, Damon?" she asked, pulling her hair into a high ponytail.

"Stefan called last night."

"He did?"

"I think he wanted to apologize," Damon explained. Elena just looked annoyed.

"He never means it," Elena said solemnly, her eyes trailing to the ground.

Damon saw the depression in Elena's eyes. He quickly approached her. She could feel his breath on her neck as he spoke. "Hey," he whispered, gently. It sent chills down her spine. "Don't be so annoyed with him. No idiot on the planet would want to give youup."

Elena turned around, so that she could look into his face. "Would you?" she asked, challenging him.

"Stefan made a big mistake," was all that Damon said.

"Answer my question."

Damon did not want to tell Elena that he wanted to keep and hold her forever. His inner little boy emerged, when he was wondering if saying this would hurt their relationship, but when he looked in Elena's bright chocolaty eyes, he knew that nothing could ruin their strong bond.

"No, I would not give you up. And definitely not without a fight." He felt very shy for a moment. He knew in the pit of his stomach that this was a turning point in their relationship. "If anyone could think for a second that _I _would hurt you like Stefan did, they're out of their minds." His voice had a deep need in it, and Elena took a step closer to him.

"Why do you care so much about me? I don't deserve it."

"Because I'm falling for you," Damon replied, walking even closer to Elena, invading her personal space. She looked shocked at what he had said. She obviously wasn't expecting _that _as an answer. He gave her a daring smile. "I'm not Stefan. I know what I want." He pulled her even closer. There was no space between them.

"Prove it," she whispered. And then he simply couldn't take it any longer. Within seconds, Damon's lips fell upon hers. At first, she was standing still. But as the shock wore off, she began kissing him back, even harder.

_Nothing can compare to this moment, _Elena thought to herself, as she kissed Damon passionately. Nothing could compare to the feeling of his cool lips against hers. Nothing could compare to the way he held her, with such love and intensity that she wanted to cry out in pleasure every time his masculine hands held her tighter. Nothing was as sweet as that moment. She then realized what it felt like to be loved, to be cherished. She never wanted to let go, and she knew that he felt the same way. She closed her eyes, enjoying the moment when his strong fingers went through her hair. She had never felt that way when Stefan did this. She was now being kissed by someone who truly loved her for who she was –inside and out–and was willing to accept her every flaw. She was shocked to think that she had these feelings about _Damon Salvatore, _who only a few months ago had no mercy for human life. Now, there he was, miles away from home, with the human girl who had captivated his soul. Elena never thought that she would end up with him, but the sweet shock of the kiss was enough to convince her.

A few minutes later, Damon and Elena were taken out of their passionate haze. Elena's phone was ringing. She pulled her lips away from his, very reluctantly, afraid that Jenna was calling. When she looked at the caller I.D, it was Stefan.

"I'm not answering," Elena stated.

"Stefan's not going to give up, you know. He's still in love with you."

"Well if he was in love with me, he wouldn't be hitting on Katherine." Elena didn't like having this conversation about Stefan. She wanted to talk about Damon.

"Then tell him that."

"Maybe later," Elena said, pressing the ignore button. She put the phone down and walked over to Damon. Once again there was no space between them. "I don't want to talk to Stefan. I want to talk to you." She smiled at him through her lashes. "So, what are we doing now?"

Damon laughed, as he held Elena close. "Well we _are _at the Jersey Shore, so I would think that we should go to the beach."

Elena nodded. "There's a boardwalk in Wildwood," he added. She seemed more excited at that idea.

"Let's go!" Elena said, already walking to the door. Damon grabbed her hand and stopped her. He looked at her clothes, a mismatched t-shirt and blue shorts. She was going to need a new outfit. Luckily, there was a boutique on the street of their bed and breakfast. He gave her some money and said, "Go get some clothes. I'll meet you back here."

"Wait, I don't want you waiting alone!" Elena said to him.

"I'm not. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to look for a seagull or something. I hate to pull a Stefan, but I'm guessing that there's not a blood bank around here."

Elena chuckled. "Okay," she said "Thanks! I owe you big time."

"Wait," Damon told Elena, before she could walk out the door. He kissed her again, savoring the fact that he had her, and she finally accepted him for who, and _what _he was. She pulled away, smiling at him. She gave him a quick peck on the lips once again before walking out. He watched her leave, smiling too. What was wrong with him? He shouldn't have gotten butterflies knowing that he had kissed a human girl. He didn't even consider biting her neck, and last night was in shock when he saw her in a Pink Floyd t-shirt! He knew what was happening to him; Isobel had stated it about a month ago, but he couldn't admit it, even to himself, yet.

Elena got back to the room with her bags. Luckily, Damon was not there. She needed time to think. She needed to review what had happened. She had kissed him! But how could things have happened so suddenly? One moment they were talking about Stefan, and the next, they were in an intense lip-lock. She knew that she had feelings for him: feelings that she couldn't deny. She _liked _kissing him. But why did she feel so guilty? Once again, her thoughts were interrupted as her phone rang. She was not going to avoid Stefan this time, so she reluctantly pressed the send button.

"Elena, are you okay?"

"Why would you leave me at the prom?" she asked, ignoring his question.

"Elena…"`

"Did you just decide right then that I wasn't good enough for you?" She was trying to control her temper.

"You don't understand…"

"I do, Stefan. I get it. "

"No, you don't. I can tell you what's going on with me. Just please, tell me where you are."

"Why? So you can magically fix everything? Life doesn't work that way, Stefan. I'm done with this. I'm done with Katherine. I'm done with _you_!" she exploded. She heard Stefan sigh on the other end. Was he trying not to cry?

"Please, Elena. I need to explain. I need you to give me another chance."

"I'm through with giving you second chances." She then hung up. She turned around to see Damon in the doorway. Great.

"We need to talk about what happened earlier," Elena told Damon after she had changed into a pair of jean shorts and a black camisole. They were sitting on the newly made bed.

"The kiss," Damon said, flirting with his eyes.

"Yes."

"What about it?" he asked her.

"You were so _different, _so…"

"Human?" Damon suggested, gazing into her eyes.

"Yes. I'm worried that…" Elena struggled to find the right words. She didn't want to insult him.

"What?"

"I'm worried that you only turned on your humanity so that I would want to kiss you. I'm afraid that it wasn't real. I know you; you aren't that genuine."

"You only know that one side of me. You _brought out _the humanity in me," Damon answered. Elena was shocked. He seemed to mature, so gentle.

"Is it all an act?"

"Is what an act?"

"Your ruthless personality... Is it real?"

Damon looked at her a moment. When he was with her in Atlanta, she asked the same question. This time he knew his answer. "I'm a vampire, Elena; that's how I'm supposed to be."

"You still have your humanity," Elena stated. "Don't lose it."

"I thought I lost it a long time ago," he replied. "I don't know how, but you found it."

"I've known you for a while, Damon. It's always been there, right under the surface."

"I don't know, Elena. The things I've done in the past are too morbid." Elena never saw this side of him. He was so dear and unsure. She knew that Damon was more complicated than he let on.

"The past is the past," Elena whispered to him, her arms wrapping around his waist. She was behind him now. "I'm not going to judge you." And then, she kissed the top of his head, and began kissing downward, until she found his lips. It was a gentle and a sweet kiss, one that took his breath away.

Damon pulled away from her after a while, only far enough to be able to speak. "Let's go to the boardwalk," he chuckled against her lips. She agreed, willing to do anything as long as she could spend more time with him.

As they approached the Wildwood boardwalk, Elena's eyes had never been so big before. She was in awe of all of the rides and stands. She felt like a little kid again. Damon held her close, laughing at her sudden excitement. Her happiness was contagious.

"What should we do first?" Elena asked, squeezing his hand as she examined all of the lights. "Something fun!"

"What about _that_?"Damon asked, pointing to a ride in the distance. It was like a human slingshot. They watched as two people were catapulted from the top of two tall poles, only being held up by a thin cord.

"Yes!" Elena squealed. She wasn't the thrill-seeker type, but tonight, with Damon, she was.

They were the only two people who were daring –or stupid– enough to get in the line. Within a few moments they were being strapped to the cords. Damon held Elena tightly, making her feel protected and safe. "I won't let you fall," he whispered in her ear. She believed him. Soon, they were slowly being raised, and within seconds were flying over the boardwalk. Elena tried not to scream and closed her eyes, forcing her face into Damon's shoulder. Before she could even open her eyes, they were being pulled back down. She sighed in relief, and Damon held her tighter.

Damon laughed as he guided the dazed Elena back to the stands. "You're white!" he told her, and then turned serious when she didn't laugh back. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," she said, holding onto him. "Just a little shocked."

"I can't imagine that a ride would do this to you," Damon said, puzzled.

"Don't worry. It's just a headache. Let's sit here for a while," Elena replied drowsily, pointing to a bench. Damon was afraid that she was going to pass out, so he sat her down.

"Stay here. I'm going to get you something for that headache, okay?"

"Yeah…" she trailed off. He kissed her forehead gently and went out, looking for someplace where he could get her an aspirin. He hated to leave her.

Shortly after leaving, Damon returned with nothing. He figured that he could use compulsion if the pain got out of hand. When he got to the bench, Elena was not there. There was no trace of her. He looked around for her. Nothing. No one human could have snatched her that quickly. And then reality hit him.

She had been taken. By a vampire.


	3. Chapter 3

Elena woke up suddenly. She couldn't see anything. She must have backed out. And then her sight cleared. She was staring directly at a familiar face, who was examining hers intently. She couldn't see the face completely, due to her blurred vision. She threw herself back, but hit a wall. She was underneath some sort of ride

"You look like Katherine, but you're not her," the vampire giggled, examining her face once again. Elena tried to slap her hand away, but became lost in her eyes. Elena's hand dropped, as she sat, mesmerized by her strong gaze.

"How have you been doing without Stefan?" she asked, still compelling her.

"Fine."

"Elena," the vampire said. "There's no one on this planet who loves you. Do you know that?" Her hand moved from Elena's face to her neck. Her finger trailed along the blue vein in the side.

"Damon Salvatore said he was falling for me," Elena stated, still locked with her eyes.

The crazy vampire smiled bitterly. "You don't deserve Damon."

The vampire let her fangs rip open the flesh on her wrist, and blood flowed soon after. Although she was compelled, the glimmer of evil in the girl's eye was enough to let Elena's mind figure out who was doing this to her.

Katherine Pierce.

As Elena put this together, she tried to run, but Katherine's strong eyes would not let her move.

"You want this," Katherine said, holding up her bleeding wrist. "You are _thirsting _for it."

"I want to take your blood," Elena repeated. Katherine held up her wrist to Elena's trembling lips, forcing the blood to flow into her mouth. Elena thought it tasted good. She wanted _more. _

That was the scene that Damon Salvatore had walked in on. He was terrified by this horrible sight. What hurt the most was that all of this was happening to Elena against her will.

"Let go of her!" he shouted, running over to Elena, examining her neck for any bite marks. Katherine pulled her wrist away, with a wicked smile on her lips.

"Damon," Katherine stated, amused.

"What were you going to do to her?" Damon asked, now cradling a confused Elena, who was just realizing what was happening.

"I was going to turn her. You know that you wish she were me, Damon. Turning her gets you one step closer." Katherine was stepping closer to them.

"I think Elena's perfect the way she is."

"Then that's a perfect reason why Ishould change her, isn't it." Katherine moved in closer. In lighting fast speed, she was holding Elena by her neck, against the creaky wall. Elena was staring hopelessly at Damon, who was fuming.

"Damon!" Elena managed to get out, struggling for oxygen, trying to escape. It was no use. Katherine had a steel grip.

Damon struggled, looking around for something to get Elena out of Katherine's hands. He wouldn't be able to even look at Elena if she turned, knowing that it would be partly his fault. He quickly ripped out one of the wooden boards on the wall. He staked Katherine.

And she fell.

Damon watched as she suffered, staring directly at him. It was hard for him to believe that he had once loved the bitter vampire. He had hit her directly in the heart. She ripped the stake out and looked at Elena, hatred burning in her eyes. But it was too late.

After Katherine closed her eyes, Damon noticed that Elena was still gasping for air. She was in his arms before she could hit the ground. She was in complete shock, crying on his shoulder. He just held her for a while, feeling horrible over what had happened. She was holding onto him as hard as she could.

"Damon," she whispered in his shoulder. "How did she find us?"

"Shhh… it doesn't matter. She's not going to hurt you anymore."

Elena lifted her head off of his shoulder and examined his face. "I'm sorry. It's my fault she's dead."

"Don't blame yourself. It's okay. All that matters is that you're going to be safe. I did say I'd fight for you, didn't I?" She looked at him in awe. "Let's get back to the room."

"Okay," Elena agreed. He wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked to the car. She rested her head on Damon's shoulder as he stroked her hair.

Elena and Damon reached the bed and breakfast a little shaken. For Elena, everything was finally starting to make sense as the shock wore off. She could actually _feel _Damon holding her.

"How do you feel?" Damon asked.

"I'm okay now. Thanks." She smiled at him, warmly. His eyes were concentrated on the newly formed strangle marks on Elena's throat. He frowned at her. "Please, Damon. I'm fine now. I promise."

"I didn't know what happened to you. I didn't want you to get hurt like this," he said, walking close to her. She cuddled with him as they sat on the couch, in need of some comfort, and let her head rest on his chest as he spoke. "You weren't actually sick. It was compulsion."

"I figured that out." She looked up at him, putting her hands on his back, comforting him. "It looks like _you're_ the one who needs some time to heal," Elena said softly, and he grabbed the side of her face gently, letting his thumb trail along her jaw line.

"I was so scared. I'm not used to that feeling." And then he started chuckling suddenly. Elena looked at him with worried –and confused– eyes. "I'm not used to being this brooding," he joked. She gave him a stunning smile.

"After all of my vampire experience, I'm guessing it's the animal blood," she said, lightening the room with her humor. They both looked at each other and broke out into laughter.

"I'll find a blood bank and stock the fridge," Damon chortled.

"Who knows what the maids would do if they found that," Elena added. Damon snickered, flirting with his eyes, trying to be charming.

Elena grunted, pushing Damon's shoulder playfully. "Don't do that eye thing!" She tried to hide the grin on her face but couldn't. She looked down, a huge smile on her face. Her eyes reminded Damon of a school girl, crushing on someone at the playground.

"I think my 'eye thing' is starting to grow on you, Elena. You can't seem to wipe that silly grin off of your face." He flirted with his eyes again, this time more dramatically. Elena cracked up.

"I'm just glad you're _doing _it! For a second I thought you'd never joke about anything again."

"I have my moments," Damon said softly. Elena looked at him, her brown eyes filled with acceptance and approval.

"I never thought I'd ever be here."

"Where?"

"With you."

"Oh. I didn't either. But I'm glad we're here," she said. "I'll be happy as long as you're holding me."

"Me too," Damon agreed, showing her a wicked smirk. She smiled back, sweetly. He stood up and pulled her close, lifting her up a bit, so that she was looking directly at him, her toes barely touching the floor. He looked into Elena's deep eyes and gave her a daring look that took her breath away. But that look was not the only thing that left her breathless.

He kissed her. Hard.

She held Damon close as his lips brushed against hers hungrily. It was no longer a choice to kiss him; it was a deep _need. _She had never felt this way before, and did not believe in soul mates, but their kiss, and the passion surged between them was beginning to cause Elena to change her ideas. Elena had known that she was falling for Damon weeks before the trip. But now, without Stefan there to block her feelings, she was actually aware that what she had experienced was more than simple attraction. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. And now, when she kissed him, the moments seemed surreal. It was as if they were kissing away all of the pain, all of the horror of the previous incident. His hands were holding her so fiercely, and she couldn't even think about anything but him.

Gently they both pulled away, breathing hard, looking into their eyes in wonder. Damon softly let Elena down, never taking his gaze off of her. The room was filled with silence. Elena stared at him, admiring his beauty as she looked at the clock.

"It's getting late," she pointed out. He nodded. Elena went into the bathroom as she changed into a new t-shirt and shorts. Once she brushed her teeth and combed out her knotted hair, she walked back to the bed and fell with exhaustion.

"My head hurts!" she complained as she stuffed her head into the pile of pillows. Damon sat on the side of the bed as Elena spoke.

"Vampire blood will do that to you."

"Speaking of that, thank you for saving me," she said lifting her head. Damon's fingers went through Elena's smooth hair when she was sitting up, looking at him.

"You're welcome." He looked at her, and kissed her forehead. "Alright. You should really go to sleep now. You'll wake up feeling fine. The blood should be out of your system in the morning."

"Ok," she said. Damon stood up then, and began walking toward the couch. "Wait! You're not sleeping on the couch, Damon. I'm not going to be that selfish. You saved me tonight. Come here," she ordered.

Damon walked over, and sat on the side of the bed again. "Well, after all that you've been through, _you're _not sleeping on the couch either."

"Fine. Then if you're going to be this stubborn, at least stay here until I fall asleep so I don't feel so bad."

"I'm being stubborn? Okay, Elena. I'll hold you until you fall asleep." She gave him a cute smirk. Damon knew that he rarely lost an argument. She must have really been getting to his head.

So, he willingly let Elena cuddle into his arms until her breathing became heavy. Once he knew she was asleep, although he didn't want to, he began to leave, heading for the couch, but as soon as he moved the slightest bit, Elena turned. Her head was now resting on his shoulder, and her arm was across his chest. He knew that if he moved, he'd wake her up. He didn't want to do that, so he wrapped his arms around her once again, and fell asleep.

Damon woke up suddenly, raising his head. He felt so alert, so awake. He looked down at Elena, still sleeping silently. Her hair was a mess, but as usual, she still looked beautiful. He put his hand on her wrist, feeling the pulse beneath her smooth skin. He couldn't imagine Elena without that pulse.

He couldn't imagine holding Elena as she died, finally closing her eyes as she prepared herself for the change. Slowly, her breathing would slow, and her heart would no longer beat. She'd wake up, with a pulse and a need for oxygen, but she wouldn't have a soul. He never wanted that to happen to happen. He cared too much, and the previous night had scared him so much. Elena was _so _close to turning, so close to losing everything that made her so gentle, so beautiful inside.

He grabbed Elena, and pulled her close, so that he was holding her, knowing that she was alive in his arms, even when she was asleep. He kissed her knotted hair, and let his fingers comb through it, until it was smooth. Soon, he realized a small sigh coming from Elena. She was waking up. She looked at him quickly. Obviously she felt awake too. She gave him a warm smile.

"What time is it?" she asked, looking around. She stood up, examining her reflection, looking at everything from the strangle marks on her neck to the wrinkles in her shorts.

"Almost two in the afternoon," Damon said simply. He didn't need a clock. "You slept in."

"Wow, that's strange."

"Well, you _do _have to remember that you had to get vampire blood out of your system, try to sleep off the pain, and recover from the fact that I chose your life over Katherine's." Damon looked at Elena. The strangle marks were healing, thanks to the large amount of vampire blood. He felt relieved.

"Good point. What time did you wake up?"

"About a half hour before you," he answered. She looked shocked. "What? You don't think that killing a vampire takes away any of your energy, especially when it's one you _thought _you loved once?"

"Once again. Good point," she joked. Damon gave her a sinister grin. Elena liked it when Damon smiled at her. His eyes were bright and cheerful. His expression made her feel like they were the only two people who ever existed, and just knowing this was enough to please her. "So, what are we doing today?" she asked, trying to make a sentence out of her jumbled thoughts.

"Well, we could go to the beach," he suggested, suddenly behind her, holding her close to him, supporting all of her weight. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the sudden wave of pleasure that went over her. "Or I can kiss you until you tremble. Your choice," he said, his expression daring but gentle, his voice seductive.

Elena opened her eyes, and turned around so that she was facing him. She leaned into him, their lips insanely close. She felt his every quick breath and his excitement. She leaned in even closer, as Damon closed his eyes. When her forehead was pressed against his, she whispered against his lips, "Let's go to the beach." She quickly pulled away, before their lips could meet, and laughed devilishly. Damon gave her a smile, full of some form of wicked approval.

Elena walked toward her bags very proudly. She looked through her new outfits, in hopes of finding something to wear to the beach. She searched through the plastic bags once again, but realized that she hadn't purchased anything.

"You're the only person who wouldn't think of purchasing a swimsuit when in a dive shop," Damon chuckled, looking at one of Elena's bags which said "Cape May Surf and Suits".

Elena giggled awkwardly, slightly embarrassed. "I know." She looked through that bag again, reviewing over what she had purchased. "Well, organization hasn't really been my thing these past few days."

Damon nodded. "Personally, I'm liking this carefree Elena much more than the brooding one."

"Me too," she giggled. "I'll figure out something to wear," she explained, changing the subject. She grabbed a random bag and went into the bathroom, when her phone started ringing. Her heart froze when reality hit her as she looked at the ID.

Aunt Jenna.

She had to pick up. Her hands trembled as she pressed the answer button. Her mind went blank. She had to think of an excuse. And fast!

"Elena, where have you been?" Jenna asked, before Elena could even say anything.

"Jenna, I'm fine!" Elena said, raising her voice. Damon heard her, and entered the bathroom, to find her leaning on the counter, her face buried deep in her hands. Damon let _his _hands rest on Elena's tense shoulders, massaging them gently. She gave him a thankful grin and then returned to her stressful phone call.

"_Where are you_!" Jenna repeated, this time with more authority in her voice.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does! Are you in Mystic Falls?"

"No."

"Why did you leave?" she asked, anger burning in her voice. When Elena didn't answer, Jenna sighed. "What happened at the prom?"

"Nothing!"

"Did something happen with Stefan?"

"_No!_" Elena's reply was so quick, it was unnatural. Damon could hear Jenna clench her fists on the other line.

"You left because of boyfriend issues?"

"I left because his _other _girlfriend was driving me crazy!" After hearing that, Damon stopped rubbing Elena's shoulders, but when he noticed her angry expression, he continued again.

"_Other? _Oh, Elena. You can't let him do this to you! You have to come back!"

"No!"

"Stop being difficult! Elena, be mature!" Elena looked at Damon for help. He nodded solemnly.

Despite what Damon was trying to say, Elena wanted to follow her heart. "I'm not leaving right now. Please, don't worry about me. I just need some time."

"Is this what you're going to do every time you lose your boyfriend to another woman?" Jenna _didn't _get it! Elena was fuming!

"You don't understand! Please, just leave me alone! I need some time away from you, and from Jeremy. I'm sick of being shouted at by him. So just let me calm down, PLEASE!"

Jenna was fuming, too. She hung up. Elena knew that they had won.

"That was difficult," Elena said, breathlessly as Damon lead her back to the room. He pulled her close to him, forcing her head to rest on his chest, her body being supported by his strong arms. She was finally _relaxing_.

"I know," he sighed, closing his eyes, letting his hand stroke the side of her face. He couldn't help but smirk when he felt a shiver go down Elena's spine.

"We're never going to make it to the beach," Elena whispered, as they sat on the couch. "We're always interrupted!"

"I know," Damon repeated. He used the hand that was caressing Elena's face to pull her soft lips to his. He was kissing away all of her pain and stress. He hated to do it, but he was influencing her, and he couldn't help it.

"You know, I'm not _trying _to compel you," he said, never breaking the kiss. He removed his lips from hers and began kissing the side of her jaw, working his way to her neck. His hand stayed on the side of her face while the other was wrapped around her waist.

"I know," she muttered, Damon's mind lock bringing her into incoherency. "I wouldn't call this compulsion…" Elena trailed off, unable to speak. It was true; he wasn't compelling her to enjoy the kiss. He was merely _intensifying _it.

And then his lips met her neck. As soon as he went across a vein, he felt the change in his face. His fangs were extending, his eyes becoming red, and his own veins stuck out around his eyes. He tried to pull away; Elena had been through so much, but she still held on.

"I have _way _too much blood in my system right now anyway," she said, her gentle hand on the back of his head, pulling him closer to her neck.

It was true, and the fact that Elena was willing to give him her blood made Damon extremely blissful.

So, he slowly let his teeth sink into her throat.

And Elena was _terrified _because she had shocked herself. She was ready to feel pain, but she only felt warmth, and a feeling of _love_ that spread throughout her body like wildfire.


	4. Chapter 4

Damon was holding Elena in his arms, his lips fastened on her neck. He held her so fiercely, so intimately. He was tasting her blood for the first time. It was _everything_: sweet and addicting, just like Elena herself.

He was trying his best not to hurt her, but the taste of her blood was removing all reason from his mind. He couldn't concentrate. His head was reeling. He had never felt like this when he was feeding off of a normal girl. This was different on so many levels.

First of all: He could _feel _her happiness, her pleasure. They were connectedmentally.

Second of all: He loved her. He truly loved her, more than he had ever loved Katherine. Only now, when he was feeling Elena's emotions, he knew how wonderful they really were together. He was in love, and there he sat, his cool lips on her warm throat, giddy with excitement.

He _loved _her!

She was _his_ Elena, so full of life and wonder in his arms. And he _loved _her! He couldn't stop thinking that. Now he just had to figure out how to say it out loud.

_There's something seriously wrong with me, _he thought to himself. He had changed so much in the past few days.

After a few minutes he pulled away, Elena pushing the back of his head back to her neck. He did not move. "Do you trust me?" he asked holding her, his lips against her forehead.

"That's a silly question," Elena muttered, closing her eyelids. She wrapped her arms around Damon's waist and kissed him tenderly. There was an instant spark when their lips touched, and they were getting lost in it. They were drowning in a sea of passion.

Damon removed his lips, only an inch or two, so that he could look into Elena's misty eyes. "Do you trust me?" His tone no longer made this a simple question.

Damon sat up, bringing Elena with him. She was so dazed that it took her a few moments to actually realize what he had said. "With my life," she replied, her answer confident. And then Damon did something that shocked both of them.

He used his fangs to make a cut in his wrist.

Soon, blood was flowing down Damon's trembling arm. Elena looked at it for a moment in wonder, but she knew what to do. She lifted up his hand, and kissed his wrist, going up until she reached the wound. And she stayed there.

Damon was amazed. He was exchanging blood with Elena Gilbert. He had exchanged blood with Vicki before, along with many other girls, but since they both cared about each other, this was special. Not only could Damon see Elena's emotions through her body language and face, he could actually _feel _what she was feeling. Their minds were melting together, having a strange but spectacular, wordless cycle of feedback.

They truly were one heart, and one soul now.

What seemed like centuries later, Damon pushed Elena gently away from his wrist. They looked at each other in wonder, and then Elena let her head rest on Damon's chest. He held her so close. They didn't say much for a while. The world seemed to shrink around them. It was only Elena and Damon. That was all that they needed.

Damon had been lying on the couch with Elena in his arms for most of the day. They had been so still, so peaceful. She had fallen asleep about an hour ago. He couldn't blame her. Blood exchange was _very _overwhelming the first time.

Damon wasn't the type to spend the day resting on a couch. If he was with any other girl they'd be partying all day and night. But he wasn't just there with any other girl. He was with _Elena. _He chuckled at the thought of everything she had done to him.

She made him laugh. Damon hadn't laughed this much in his life! She made him smile, and he would do anything just to see _her _smile too.

She had tamed him. He had been so reckless, so angry before he met her. Damon couldn't figure out how, but Elena had changed him for good.

When Damon noticed that it was dark outside, he slowly woke Elena up, shaking her shoulder gently. Her eyes flew open when she felt Damon's cool hand on her shoulder. She gave him an amazing smile. He looked around.

"I think we should get back to Mystic Falls," Damon said, his face grim. Elena nodded, snuggling close to Damon. She wrapped her arms around him, as she buried her face in his chest. He sighed, closing his eyes. Everything felt so _right._

"I guess it's time to face everyone," she agreed. "But not rightnow." Damon looked at her, his eyes glowing with approval. Elena lifted her face, Damon's lips meeting hers with a deep need. They stood up, never breaking the kiss. He let his lips once again trail down her jaw line, to her slender neck. He held her in his arms. Elena was basically putty; she was so comfortable.

"I don't know how to tell everyone," she said, her voice basically a whisper.

"Tell everyone what?" Damon asked, and then returned to kissing her neck.

"That I've fallen in love with you," Elena said, removing Damon's lips from her neck. She looked into his blue eyes. Oh, how she could fall into those eyes forever, how she could drown in that deep blue sea.

"You have? I guess we're on the same page," Damon chuckled, his hands on Elena's back, pulling her closer. She smiled.

"I'm no hopeless romantic, so I'm just going to say it. I love you, Elena Gilbert. Unconditionally." There was an evil glimmer in Damon's eyes, but it was sweet. He was a little embarrassed.

"I love you too," Elena said, her voice full of mockery. It felt silly saying this to him. They both knew it. "I'll love you forever."

"As will I," and then he pulled her lips back to his. What seemed like a lifetime later, they pulled away, gazing deep into each other's eyes. Elena gave him a huge hug, Damon lifting her up, giving her one more peck on the lips before putting her down. "Alright. Next stop: Mystic Falls, Virginia." And then he led her back to the car, beginning their long journey home.

Stefan paced around his room, trying to put all of his thoughts to rest. Nothing would work. He knew that Katherine was dead, and he didn't care. He was excited. The blood bond was broken! He thought that everything could return to normal with Elena. He had been wrong.

Along with Stefan's feelings for Katherine, his feelings had changed for Elena as well. And he didn't exactly know _how _his feelings changed or _what _changed. He just felt different.

As he tried to work all of this out, the beautiful face that he hadn't seen since prom night was at his doorway.

"Stefan," Elena said breathlessly, approaching him. He ran up to her, giving her a huge hug. She returned it, but not with the same passion that she had before.

"Elena, where have you been?" Stefan asked. They sat on the edge of his bed.

"The Jersey Shore," she replied shyly. Stefan put his hand on her knee. She looked at him sadly and gently placed her hand on top of his, guiding it back to the bed.

"I should have known," Stefan said to himself. "Look, Elena. After Katherine was killed, something's changed."

"A lot has changed, Stefan."

"No. I mean, I'm starting to question myself. See, when I saw Katherine after all of these years, I thought it was a blood bond attracting me to her."

"A blood bond? As in blood exchange?" Elena perked up, suddenly very engaged in the conversation.

"Yes. I only cared for her because she turned me, and now I'm wondering if the blood bond is what attracted me to _you _in the first place," Stefan explained. Elena had nothing to say.

"I feel horrible," Stefan continued. "I tried convincing both of us that it wasn't your resemblance to Katherine that made me care about you. I was in denial," he said, his voice full of self hatred.

"Don't feel horrible, Stefan. Please. Look at me." She grabbed the side of his face, and pulled on it softly so that he was gazing into her brown eyes, which were beginning to tear up. "_She _is still out there somewhere for you. And you're going to find her someday, but I'm not _that _girl. We both know it. I guess it just took us some time to figure it out." Stefan nodded in agreement. He was sad, and squeezed Elena's hand.

"What about you, Elena?" he asked, looking into her eyes, which were now full of worry.

"I've found someone that I love," she said simply, staring at him.

"Damon?" Stefan asked.

"Yes. Damon," Elena confirmed. "I'm so sorry things had to end this way."

"Don't be. I'm glad you're going to be happy. I'm always going to love you Elena. I always did. But what we didn't know was that I loved you like a sister all along."

"Oh, Stefan!" she cried, giving him one last hug. He gave her a kind smile, and disappeared. She would miss that smile, but she felt warm knowing that she would get to see a different one every day; a smile filled with a perfect amount of sarcasm, love, and acceptance.

And then he was there, right in front of her. Damon, her knight in shining armor. Her love. She ran into his arms, and kissed him breathlessly. He kissed her back, trying to fight laughter against her lips.

"You can laugh. You know that I'm never going to let you go. I'll love you forever, remember?" she said against his lips, and then he began chuckling.

"How can I forget?" And then he pulled away, just for a split second, so that he could look at her face. And then he continued kissing her passionately, reminding himself that he had found the one person who actually loved him for the person that he truly was.

And he had found the one person who he loved in return.

Her name was Elena Gilbert: his beauty, his light, and his one love.

**~The End~**

_**Awww… it's over. Don't worry. I'll be posting new Delena fanfics soon. Please leave a review! Thanks!**_


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